Postgraduate Course: Energy Systems (MSc) (PGEE10014)

Course Outline
School	School of Engineering	College	College of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)	SCQF Level 10 (Postgraduate)	Availability	Not available to visiting students
SCQF Credits	10	ECTS Credits	5
Summary	The course applies the principles and techniques of thermodynamics to a variety of energy conversion systems including power plant, combined heat and power systems and heat pumps. It provides an introduction to the engineering of fossil fuelled and nuclear power stations. It surveys the UK/international energy scene.
Course description	Block 1: Background. Energy sources and media; high level overview of energy use (electricity, transport, domestic, industry); basic economics and public policy. Block 2: Thermodynamics. Exergy; efficiency; thermodynamic cycles (Rankine, Joule, Brayton) and heat balance. Block 3: Fossil generation. Conversion technology (combustion boilers; condensers; superheaters; materials); availability; geopolitics; environment. Block 4: Nuclear generation. Reactor types; fission physics (binding, cross-section etc); environment; waste. Block 5: Geothermal energy. Technology; thermodynamics; environment. Block 6: Heat pumps. Principles; ground source; air source; domestic. Block 7: Electrical/Turbine Islands. Reheat; feedwater; CHP and process steam; passout; transmission; district heating. Block 8: Fuel cells Block 9: Economics of energy. Block 10: Life cycle assessment.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites		Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations		Other requirements	None

Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered

Learning Outcomes
On completion of the course, students should be able to: 1. Explain the significance of the First and Second Laws and apply them to energy systems. 2. Understand the division of energy into available and unavailable energy, that degradation of energy occurs in energy processes, and carry out second law analyses of simple plant. 3. Carry out calculations on power cycles, heat pumps and combined heat and power plants and recognise the good, the bad and the impossible in energy systems. 4. Use simple reactor theory to estimate nuclear fuel consumption and fission product production in nuclear power stations. 5. Demonstrate an awareness of the evolution of common reactor designs and their underlying principles. 6. Comment on the UK and international energy scene, fuel resources and energy consumption including nuclear power. 7. Comment on the economic and environmental sustainability of energy systems.